Last Days of Summer
The remaining two weeks of the summer holidays seemed to fly by like a brief reflection of a bird in a still lake. Like so many summers before, Hermione spread herself out on the grass in the Grangers small but relatively neat back garden, underneath the shade of their apple tree and devoured book after book. She enjoyed the Lockhart books immensely, they were action packed so read like a fiction but full of amazing first hand Defence Against The Dark Art's knowledge. She couldn't wait to be taught by the writer himself not just due to (though she blushed when she thought about it) his incredible history.
The only thing that tainted Hermione's happiness to be soon returning to the wizarding world washaving to leave her parents again for at least three months. Despite the incredible lessons, the homeliness of the Hogwarts castle and her two best friends, there was no denying that Hermione loved being at home with her parents and that the long periods of separation were hard. This was also added to by the worry that, as she was an only child, her parents got lonely when she left.
After fourteen days filled with sunshine, books and laughing with her parents over steaming mugs of tea, Hermione found herself in her room and sweating with exhaustion and frustration.
"For God's sake!" she burst out suddenly.
"Hermione!" her mother's voice scolded as she appeared in the doorway carrying two mugs of hot chocolate.
Her mother stopped short just inside the door laughing at the image before her. Hermione's trunk was on her bed, stuffed to the brim and Hermione was valiantly trying to squeeze the lid shut by sitting on top of it, around the trunk were various possessions which had obviously been thrown out of the trunk in an attempt to create more room.
"It won't shut and I can't fit everything inside!" cried Hermione at her mother.
She raked a hand though her hair and felt how bushy it had become from her efforts in packing. She sighed loudly and slid off her trunk.
"Come on then, let your mummy help," giggled Mrs Granger
"Mum!" Hermione rolled her eyes "It's the Lockhart books, they're so big!"
"Well with packing, believe me mums know best, and you're not too old to get help from your mum"
"I know," said Hermione, allowing her mum to give her a kiss on the top of her head.
Mrs Granger then proceeded to take out the entire contents of Hermione's trunk. Hermione watched in amazement as she began to lay the books in the bottom, fitting them together like pieces of a jigsaw. She began with the Lockhart books, which were all roughly equal in size then moved on to Hermione's others.
"Hermione you've got most of your first year books here!" She exclaimed.
"Well some of them I still need in lessons, but the rest I want to take because I like them" Hermione explained, looking down at the piles of books around her mother.
"Well you're definitely taking these two; they're no way near as big as the others anyway" Said Mrs Granger, picking up A Winter's Tale and Pride and Prejudice and slotting them on top of the Lockhart books. Hermione did not argue she had got a lot of comfort out of her two favourite Muggle books whenever she had felt sad last year. She could open either book at any page and immediately the worries would drift rom her mind as her favourite books absorbed her back to a sense of old home comforts.
Mrs Granger continued to pick up books that would fit into the puzzle she'd created, knowing which ones Hermione liked best from what she'd read most this and last summer. Finally left on the bed were three huge history based books.
"Mum the other two are fine not to go but I have to take Hogwarts: A History!" Hermione pleaded.
"Hermione look at the size of it! It's one of the longest books I've ever seen, it'll never fit"
Hermione looked down at her copy of Hogwarts: A History and sighed, it was one of her favourites to read as Hogwarts had such an amazing and eventful past.
"Come on, they must have copies of this in the library?" Mrs Granger asked, looking pleadingly at her daughter.
Hermione shook her head, knowing she was being silly, "Yeah, you're right, they've got tons of copies in the library. I can check it out any time"
"Okay, great!" Mrs Granger said, relieved. Over the next half an hour she continued to pack Hermione's trunk. Putting all her underwear and socks in her cauldron to save space and making neat piles of carefully folded clothes over Hermione's few pairs of shoes. Finally, everything was in and although the trunk was still extremely full, the lid would now close and with more of Hermione's possessions in than when she had attempted it.
"There see, mum's know best" trilled Mrs Granger, taking a long sip from the now slightly cool hot chocolate. Hermione sipped hers and pulled a slight face, it was completely sugar free and not very tasty.
"Now it's getting quite late but why don't us and your Dad just all watch some television together for a little while, last evening together?"
Hermione nodded and followed her mother downstairs where she proceeded to snuggle in between her parents, one of their arms each round her, enjoying just being in their company.
"What I don't understand is how nobody notices what must be 1000 children and their parents disappear into thin air all within the same half an hour" Mr Granger said, shaking his head as they arrived onto platform 9¾.
"Because it's not like they run jumping up and down to the wall attracting attention. Do you honestly watch all the people walking past you at a train station Dad?" Hermione answered, smiling at her father.
"No I suppose not. Well we're a little early; shall I load that onto a compartment now for you Shakes?"
Hermione nodded and watched as her dad heaved her weighty trunk onto the train and into the nearest empty compartment before stepping back onto the platform to join Hermione's mother, who had now placed her arm around her daughter.
"Now have another amazing year love, don't work yourself too hard" Her mother said, rapidly blinking her eyes which were slowly growing damp.
"Don't let anyone mess you around Hermione, you're so much better than them," Mr Granger added, his face taking a serious look. Hermione knew he was thinking of their encounter with the Malfoy's.
"I'll be fine dad, I promise"
"And you'll keep writing to us?" Mrs Granger asked trying to hide the fact she was wiping her eyes.
"At least once a week, if not more" Hermione said putting her arms round her Mother's waist. Her Mother hugged her fiercely back and beside her Mr Granger wrapped his arms around them both. They stood like this for a little while until Hermione stepped back, frowning and looking round the platform.
"Why aren't the Weasley's and Harry here yet?" She mused, her head whipping round, though knowing that if they were here their red hair would give away their position in seconds.
"Yes they'll miss the train if there not careful" Her dad replied, glancing down at his watch. It was four minutes to eleven.
"Hermione maybe you should get on the train and wait…" Mrs Granger's words were cut off by the distraction of a red haired figure barrelling through onto the platform. It was soon obvious it was Percy.
"Ah good see they'll all be coming now, you get on the train and wait Hermione" Mr Granger said.
So as the red haired shape of Mr Weasley jogged onto the platform Hermione kissed her parents and, after letting the last few stragglers on before her, stepped onto the train. The Weasley's were now loading themselves and their luggage into the train one door down. Hermione watched as Mrs Weasley, who had only just appeared, squeezed Ginny in a tight hug over the train doorway. Her words floated down the platform to Hermione.
"Now don't worry Ginny, you'll do amazingly. All your brothers will look after you and you can write as much as you want. I love you so much dear"
A whistle blew and all along the train the guards began to shut the doors. Mrs Weasley was still holding a worried looking Ginny's hand. Mr Granger shut the door in front of Hermione.
"Mrs Weasley … MRS WEASLEY" Hermione yelled in her direction, Hermione's parents looked startled at their daughters sudden yell.
Mrs Weasley finally looked towards her as the pistons sounded and steam began to fill the air.
"WHERE ARE RON AND HARRY?"
Hermione watched as her fears were confirmed. Mrs Weasley jaw dropped as she looked frantically around her.
"Arthur!" She screeched, but the train had begun to move. Hermione turned back to her parents whose faces were now etched in worry. Mr Granger jogged slightly to keep up with the train as he reached for his daughters hand and kissed it.
"It'll be okay" he said, and stopped jogging.
Hermione nodded and raised a defeated hand in farewell, watching as her parents figures got smaller and smaller until they rounded a corner and were out of sight.
AN: Imagine a huge rock, like the biggest rock you've ever seen in your life - well their's me poking my head around it looking at you. So about a month ago I got a review from a girl saying that even though I wasn't writing this anymore could I post the two chapters I had written in advance. Well when i got home from uni for the summer I dug out my old laptop to find that I'd deleted all the files off of it. I searched my external hard drive and my new laptop but no sign of the those chapters anywhere. I then began to wonder what I had written for them and eventually I began to write the next chapter, just having a bit of fun - next thing I know I wasn't working for a week so was quite bored and wrote the entirety of this story - in 5 days.
So hi... I have no idea who will be reading this or if anyone will but I figured as I'd written this whole story I may as well post it. Now that I've written this all I can think about is the next Hermione's stories and chapters for them. Who knows if I'll write them (although I've begun to plan the 3rd one) i'm not making any promises at all but my minds gone crazy with HP fanfiction again. To let you know I never actually stopped reading fanfiction, I've read no way near as much in the last 2 years but I have been reading it and I've never forgotten about Hermione's story and how much I love it.
So to sum up - Hello! How are you all? I've written all of this so will hopefully be posting 1 chapter every other day. I'm all out the loop so chat to me - review, pm me and tell me what HP fanfictions you've been enjoying recently. I want to find some good one!
Love, Hannah x